Finally
by emberrxoxo
Summary: Adrian/Natalie pairing. This is a short story that I have been itching to write for years, with the possibility to continue with more chapters if there is actually an audience out there for this show still. I know it ended years ago, but my Adrian/Natalie shipper heart still beats STRONG, and I'm willing to bet there are some of you out there who feel the same way, too.
1. Chapter 1

Natalie hurried up the stairs to Adrian's apartment. She always called him when she was on her way over, but today, he hadn't answered. She had called several times, with no response. It was very unlike him to not answer his phone, and with the way Adrian seemed to attract murderers like a magnet, Natalie couldn't help but expect the worst. She reached the door and put her key in the lock. This had become their usual routine. Natalie would let herself in, Adrian would be sitting at his kitchen table eating his breakfast, they would read the paper together and then start their day.

Natalie entered his apartment, heading for the kitchen table. Adrian wasn't there. She looked around the apartment, heading towards his bedroom after seeing that the front of the apartment was empty. As Natalie reached Adrian's bedroom door, she froze in her tracks. Adrian was standing there, shirtless, fastening his belt buckle. Natalie scolded herself, but she couldn't help but stare. Adrian wasn't a bodybuilder, by any means, but he had certainly been working on toning up recently. He had been sticking to a daily exercise regimen as part of his new therapy program and, Natalie could see, his work was paying off. She swallowed hard, unable to pull her eyes away. Adrian reached over and slipped his undershirt on. He then put his shirt on and began buttoning it up. As he had gotten about halfway through the buttons, he noticed Natalie in his peripheral vision and his eyes shot up.

 **"Oh - God!"** He shouted, backing away and over to the side out of Natalie's view. **"Natalie! W - W - What are you doing here?"**

 **"I always get here at this time, Mr. Monk. I tried to call. You didn't answer, and you weren't at the kitchen table like you usually are. I was worried, so I..."**

 **"Natalie, you saw me _naked_! Oh, dear God."**

 **"Mr. Monk, you were not naked. I didn't see anything."** She couldn't help but smile, amused by his modesty.

He came back around into view, his shirt now buttoned up. He pushed past her, walking into the living room.

 **"Y - Yes you did. You saw my... _naked_ body. Natalie, g - go...wash your eyes."**

 **"Mr. Monk, I am not going to wash my eyes,"** she said, following him into the living room. **"It's really okay. You shouldn't be ashamed, you have a great body!"** Natalie winced, realizing her misstep. She shouldn't have said that.

 **"Oh, for the love of God,"** he cried, whipping around. **"So you did see me naked?"**

 **"No, no, no, Mr. Monk, I just saw you without your shirt on, it's not the end of the world."**

 **"It is! Natalie, that is actually the definition of the end of the world."**

She rolled her eyes, stepping forward. He jerked backwards as if he'd been shot.

 **"Don't come any closer!"** He yelled, holding both hands up.

 **"Oh, come on, Mr. Monk,"** Natalie sighed, growing frustrated, **"You're being ridiculous. It's really not a big deal."**

 **"Y - You should leave."**

 **"What?"** She asked, shocked.

 **"Yes, Natalie, just leave. You don't want to be with me after you've witnessed such an obscenity."**

 **"Mr. Monk,"** she rolled her eyes. **"I am not going to leave you."**

 **"You have no choice, you've seen the worst possible thing, you-"**

 **"Are you being serious right now? You really are telling me to leave?"** Natalie huffed, feeling more and more frustrated.

 **"Natalie, just leave me. I mean, in the grand scheme of things, you're probably going to, anyway. How much longer will this job really fulfill you, right? Why put it off any longer? Just lea-"**

 **"No!"** she screamed. **"I will never, ever, EVER leave you!"** Her voice echoed off the walls of the otherwise silent apartment. Surprised by her passion, Adrian blinked several times, his eyes wide.

 **"But...why?"** He muttered, barely audible, glancing down at his feet.

Natalie felt a shiver crawl down her spine. She had never been this close to just spilling her guts out to him. Part of her was scared, part of her was hopeful, but mostly, she was incredibly frustrated.

 **" _Why_?"** she asked incredulously, her voice still loud. **"Seriously? You really don't know? I mean, after nine years together, you really have no clue just why on earth I might want to stick around?"**

Adrian shook his head, his face filled with innocent confusion. Natalie's expression morphed from one of frustration to one of sympathy. _He really didn't know_. She shook her head softly, rubbing her face with her hands. _Of course. She should've known_.

 **"What, Natalie?"**

She shook her head, dismissing him with a wave of her hand.

 **"It's nothing, Mr. Monk."**

He frowned, crossing his arms in frustration. **"It's not 'nothing', Natalie. If it were nothing, you wouldn't have said it in the first place."**

Natalie bit her lip, studying Adrian's face carefully. She desperately wanted to pour her heart out and finally be free of what she'd been holding inside for so long, but she knew once that line had been crossed, there would be no turning back. She didn't want to hurt him. And for god's sake, she definitely didn't want to lose him. But how long was she willing to let this go on? When would enough be enough? No, this situation wasn't a big deal, but it had brought her touchy feelings to the surface and she was feeling vulnerable now.

She sighed, shaking her head. **"It's nothing, Mr. Monk. I'll be fine. I don't want to make you uncomfortab-"**

 **"No!"** He raised his voice, stepping forward.

Natalie stumbled backwards slightly, shocked by his sudden outburst. He had forgotten about the shirt - he knew something was up and he wasn't going to let it rest. There was no more than six inches of space between them now, causing Natalie to back closer towards the wall. Her breath hitched in her throat, unsettled by Adrian's proximity and the intensity in his eyes. He continued on, his voice lower now, but still firm.

 **"Stop treating me like a child. I'm not a child, Natalie, I am a man. And I am asking you, why? Why shouldn't I expect you to leave me just like everyone else has?"**

 **"Because I love you!"** she exploded, slapping her hands on his chest repeatedly. **"I'm in love with you, damn it! Happy now?"** Her slaps grew weaker, until she dissolved into tears, collapsing against his chest. Adrian, stunned, wrapped his arms around her weakly.

Suddenly, realizing she had just actually said the words out loud, Natalie panicked. She pulled back, in attempt to leave, but Adrian grabbed her forearm. Natalie looked up at him, caught off guard by this gesture. She was still trapped between him and the wall, his hand in a firm grip on her forearm. They were so close to each other now that she could feel the warmth radiating off of his body. She glanced up, and was unsettled by the look in his eyes. She had never seen an expression quite like that from him. She didn't know what it meant. But suddenly there was a tension in the room, so heavy it felt like she was breathing molasses. Still gripping her forearm, Adrian spoke softly.

 **"You're _in love_ with me?"**

Natalie hesitated, trying to think if there was any last reason why she should back out. She searched his eyes, looking for any sign of fear, disgust, or discomfort, but she saw none of that. Adrian's fingers were still wrapped firmly around her arm. Her body was alive with energy, heightening the feel of his smooth skin against hers. Her eyes traveled down slightly, catching sight of Adrian's mouth. His lips were slightly parted, and she swallowed hard as she felt that familiar flip-flop in her stomach. She looked back up to his eyes, and the intensity of his gaze shook her to the core. And was that look she saw there, was that...hope?

Natalie couldn't hold herself back any longer. Every rational thought inside her head screamed at her to stop but, at this point, she didn't care. Before she knew what she was doing, she leaned in, closing the space between them and pressing her lips to his. Both of their bodies came alive with electricity. Adrian released her arm and grabbed her by the waist with both hands, pushing her against the wall. Natalie gasped, surprised by his roughness. And it was him that continued the kiss this time. She moaned softly, opening her mouth and allowing him to deepen the kiss. The kiss continued on for several minutes, until Natalie finally pulled back. The intense pleasure that had flooded her entire body was getting to her head. Quite literally. She felt incredibly dizzy. She rested her head on Adrian's chest, listening for a few moments to his racing heartbeat. Suddenly she gasped, pulling away from his embrace and running to her purse. She rummaged through it frantically until she pulled out a wipe, then rushed back over to him.

 **"Oh, god, Mr. Monk, I - I am s - so sorry,"** she stammered, extending the wipe out towards him. He shook his head distractedly, gently pushing away the wipe. She raised her eyebrows, her mouth falling slightly open. **"You don't need a wipe?"**

He shook his head no, plopping down into his chair. She hurried over to him, sitting on the ottoman and facing him. She took his hand in hers, squeezing it softly.

 **"Are you okay?"** She asked.

He nodded.

 **"Are you sure?"**

 **"Y - Yes,"** he murmured, taking his fingers up to his lips and touching them softly. **"I am...very...okay."** He smiled slightly.

Natalie blushed, reminded of the feeling of his lips on hers. She looked down at her hands, laughing softly.

 **"Mr. Monk, I am so sorry. I shouldn't hav-"**

 **"Natalie,"** he said quietly, reaching out and grabbing her hand. She flinched, surprised by his initiation of contact. **"Please, just stop apologizing. It's okay."** She raised her eyebrows, genuinely surprised by his reaction.

 **"You _do_ know what just happened, right? I _kissed_ you."**

Adrian blushed. **"Yes,"** he said shyly, **"and then _I_ kissed _you_."**

Natalie smiled, looking down at her hands.

 **"So,"** Adrian continued, **"when did you know?"**

 **"Know, what?"** She asked.

 **"You know, that you were... in _love_ with me,"** he replied quietly.

Natalie blushed. In all the excitement of the kiss, she had forgotten... She just confessed to Adrian Monk that she was in love with him. Her heart began racing again, and she had to clasp her hands together in an attempt to calm herself.

 **"I - I, well,"** she began, fumbling over her words, **"I guess..."** She thought for a minute, really considering the question. **"I guess it was when I thought you were...dead,"** she murmured, not wanting to even speak the words out loud. **"I just couldn't believe it. I cried and cried until I had no tears left. I was physically in pain. It felt like I couldn't breathe. I hadn't felt like that about anyone since..."**

 **"Mitch,"** Adrian said quietly, finishing her sentence.

She nodded, continuing. **"And then, when I found out it wasn't true, that you were really alive, I became a woman possessed. I didn't care about the risk or the danger, I just knew I needed to be with you right then. And then I saw you and..."** she stopped momentarily, a sob catching in her throat. **"I just never wanted to let you out of my sight again."** She sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Adrian sat back in his chair, taking a moment to let everything she'd just said sink in.

 **"But...Natalie, that was seven years ago. Why didn't you say anything before now?"**

 **"You were preoccupied with Trudy's case. I couldn't be selfish and give you something else to cloud your mind when you needed to focus on that."**

 **"But I solved Trudy's case five years ago."**

She sighed. He had a point.

 **"Yes, but...honestly, I was just scared. I didn't want to lose you. I was worried if you found out how I felt you'd want to get as far away from me as possible."**

Adrian furrowed his brow. **"Why would I want to get away from you?"**

 **"I just thought...I thought you were a one man woman. That Trudy would always have your heart. I figured I never stood a chance."**

Natalie swallowed hard, realizing that she had really just poured her heart out to Adrian. It was all in the open now, and she was feeling extremely vulnerable.

 **"Mr. Monk,"** she began, standing up and walking over to collect her things, **"I think maybe I should give you a little time. Just, you know, to take in everything I said."**

 **"Nat-"**

 **"No, Mr. Monk, I think I should just let you have some time."** Noticing the fear in his eyes, she walked back over to him.

 **"Don't worry,"** she continued, reaching out and patting his arm gently. **"I'm not leaving you. I just want you to be able to think about what I've said in private, without me here."**

Adrian looked down at her hand, still resting on his arm. He nodded, trying to gain the resolve to speak.

 **"You're probably right,"** he said softly. **"But, Natalie?"**

 **"Hmm?"**

 **"You will come back, right?"**

She smiled. **"I promise, Mr. Monk."**

She bent down and kissed him gently on the cheek before turning and exiting the apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

Adrian glanced up at the clock. It had been two hours and he was still sitting in the exact spot where Natalie had left him. He couldn't bring himself to move. All he could do was replay the interaction that had just happened between them over and over again. It didn't feel quite real. He had to admit, he was shocked.

 _How did I not see this coming?_ He thought to himself. _I'm supposed to be the world's greatest detective, and I couldn't recognize that my closest friend has been in love with me for seven years?_

He blinked several times, surprised by his own thought. Natalie _was_ his closest friend, he realized. But was she more than that? After all, she had seen him naked (well, naked-ish) and she hadn't freaked out. She actually said he had a..."great body." And they _had_ just kissed. And it was quite a kiss, indeed, not just a friendly peck. And he wasn't grossed out. He wasn't feeling guilty. He didn't regret it. And he wasn't running away. In fact, he felt...excited? Adrian wasn't quite sure what that feeling felt like. Yes, it had been five years since he had put Trudy's case to rest but, still, it had been quite some time since he genuinely felt a happy excitement about anything. But what all of did this mean?

He thought back on their relationship and some of the things that had happened throughout the years. When he looked back now, it was patently obvious. Natalie really had been in love with him. She had given him sign after sign, and he had completely missed them all. He just didn't understand it. Natalie obviously knew how she felt. She'd had plenty of time to be sure of that. Adrian knew, rationally, that Natalie would have never risked losing their relationship by telling him that she was in love with him unless she was absolutely sure. But he still really couldn't believe it.

 **"Why?"** He whispered to himself. _Why would she want to be with me?_

He couldn't wrap his mind around it.

 ** _Are you in love with her?_**

Adrian flinched, the sound of Trudy's voice clear in his mind. He hadn't seen a vision of her in years, but every now and then, he heard her voice in his head, when he was confused or stuck and needed clarity.

 _ **I think you are.**_

Adrian sighed, leaning forward and resting his head in his hands. _Was_ he in love with Natalie? It had been so long since he had even thought about love in any way other than mourning Trudy's loss. He wasn't sure he still knew what it was supposed to feel like. He closed his eyes, trying to picture Trudy's face in his mind, but he couldn't help but see Natalie instead. He blushed, feeling surprised at himself and slightly embarrassed.

 _ **That's your answer, Adrian. It's really okay, darling, I just want you to be happy.**_

Trudy's voice resounded in his mind. He felt his heart rate increase, and had to swallow hard to force himself not to panic. Could her really love her? He was scared to answer that question out loud, but he felt Trudy's memory had already answered it for him. Trudy had always been his voice of reason and he felt, even now, that she was still helping him see things clearly. He forced himself to relax, closing his eyes and picturing Natalie's face in his mind again. He replayed the moments that had happened just before she left. The sincerity in her voice when she said she was in love with him. The tension that built between them when they stood close together. The way her eyes had locked with his, full of anticipation and hope. And the kiss...

What had come over him during that kiss? He had grabbed Natalie's body and pushed her against the wall. It was not even remotely the type of thing he would normally do. But he had realized in an instant how deprived of intimate touch he had been for so long, and how desperately he had been waiting for someone to release him from that. And not just anyone. He realized he had specifically been waiting for Natalie. He swallowed hard, remembering the feeling of her lips on his. It had felt wonderful. More wonderful than he ever could have possibly imagined. It stirred something alive in him that had been dormant for almost two decades. Adrian opened his eyes and glanced over at the picture of Trudy on his wall. Maybe she was right.

Natalie paced the floor of her kitchen. After having left Adrian's apartment, she had spent the past two hours deep cleaning her entire house. Now that Julie was out of the house, and after years of being around Adrian had worn off on her, cleaning was the only thing she knew to do with her nervous energy. But the house was spotless now, at least by her standards, and she didn't know what else to do. She forced herself to sit down at the kitchen table. Gripping the edge of the table in an attempt to steel herself, she took a deep breath.

She could not believe what had just happened. It felt like a dream. She had seen Adrian shirtless and, somehow, that had led her to, finally, after all these years, tell him that she was in love with him. And he didn't run away or seem upset. Then, they had kissed. And, God, what a kiss! The way Adrian was consumed with intensity, the way his eyes pierced hers, the way he gripped her waist and pushed her against the wall. Just the memory of it made Natalie tense up with arousal. She shook her head, trying to keep herself calm. In a million years, she had _never_ expected that reaction from him. But, then again, he was a different man than he was when she first met him.

When Natalie had first met Adrian, he was consumed with grief. His only mission in life was to solve Trudy's case. And even though he had made progress over the years that she had worked with him, he still never really seemed to have any peace until after he had solved Trudy's case. In the first year or so afterwards, Adrian had seemed lost. He didn't know what to do with himself once his life's mission had been resolved. But Natalie had continued to support him, encouraging him to use his talents to help others, urging him to get out of his comfort zone and try new things. In the five years since he had solved Trudy's case, Adrian had grown immensely. He still wasn't a fan of handshakes, and Natalie still carried wipes for emergencies, but many of his phobias had subsided or decreased dramatically. Yes, he still had a few quirks, but seemed happier, in general, and more able to enjoy his life. But could he ever love her?

Natalie sighed, overcome with mixed emotions. Her gut reaction, the one that had been telling her to bury her feelings for almost a decade, told her that Adrian was in love with Trudy and that he could never love her. But the interaction that had just taken place between them told her otherwise. Adrian Monk had kissed her, and not half-heartedly either. He had grabbed her waist, pushed her against the wall, and kissed her. His tongue brushed against hers and he didn't need a wipe. That was _huge_. Natalie had spent the past seven years training herself to force her feelings down. She had become very skilled at concealing her feelings for Adrian, not only from him, but from herself. But in reliving the events that had just taken place between them, she couldn't contain her reaction. Her body was still alive with excitement, surprise, hope, and... _arousal_. As much as she tried to remain calm, she couldn't help it. Her and Adrian had kissed and it was breathtaking. She couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to kiss him again. Or, even better, what it would be like to feel his hands against her bare skin... She blushed, surprised that she had let her mind go there. She had made a point long ago to keep herself from thinking about Adrian in that way. But now, after what happened, it didn't feel completely impossible. She shook her head vigorously, standing up from the table. What was she thinking? He had just nearly had a mental breakdown because she had seen him shirtless. She was getting way ahead of herself here. She didn't even know how Adrian really felt about her. She began pacing again.

Natalie desperately wanted to just go back over to Adrian's apartment, talk to him, ask him how he was feeling, hug him, be close to him. But it had now only been three hours. Surely that wasn't enough time for him to process what had just happened. She sighed. This was going to be a long night.

Adrian held the phone in his hand, tracing his fingers over the buttons again and again. He wanted to call Natalie. To tell her to come back over. She had only been gone three hours now, but his apartment felt depressingly empty without her. To his surprise, he wasn't feeling panicked at all about everything that had happened between them that morning. He did feel that Trudy was right. He did have very strong feelings for Natalie, he just hadn't allowed himself to see it until now. And although the thought of saying the words out loud felt incredibly intimidating, he wanted to reassure Natalie that she wasn't alone in her feelings.

Doubt had threatened to creep in, to tell Adrian that he wasn't worthy of Natalie's love, that someone like her would never want to be with someone like him. But the actual events that had just taken place told him that wasn't true. Natalie was genuinely in love with him. He knew. He had seen it in her eyes. He had heard it in her voice. And he had definitely felt it in the way she had kissed him. Adrian just wanted her to come back. To put her arm around him like she always did and tell him everything was going to turn out okay. Her reassuring voice comforted him in a way that only one other person's voice ever had...That was really all the confirmation he needed to know how he felt about Natalie.

He sighed, looking down at the phone again. She had told him that she would give him time to think. He had thought. Now he desperately just wanted her to come back. But he wasn't sure if he could get up the courage to call her. He knew things would be different between him and Natalie, now that they had kissed. It was scary, but he didn't regret it at all. He just wanted her to come over and put her arm around him and make the worry and the racing thoughts go away. He inhaled sharply, and began dialing her number before he could lose the nerve.

Natalie gasped, startled by the ring of her cell phone, which echoed loudly through the silence of her house. She had dozed off on her couch, in an attempt to escape from the anxiety she was feeling. The phone continued to ring. She looked at the screen and felt a lump in her throat when she saw Adrian's name. She swallowed hard, gripping the arm of the couch with one hand, and answering the phone with the other.

 **"Hello?"** She answered softly.

 **"N - Natalie,"** he began, his voice faltering, **"It's me, Adrian...Monk."**

She smiled, amused by his familiar formal greeting.

 **"Yes,"** she said, laughing softly, **"I know it's you,"**

 **"Right,"** he continued, clearing his throat. **"Well, Natalie, I just...I was just wondering..."**

She waited as there was nothing but silence on the other end. The seconds passing by felt like hours.

 **"Are you still there?"** She asked.

 **"Y - Yes, I - I was just wondering, Natalie, w - would you...come back over? I mean, only if you want to, but you don't have to, I just thought maybe if you-"**

 **"Yes,"** she said gently, smiling at his nervousness. **"Of course I'll come back over. I guess you...you've had enough time to...think about everything?"** She stammered, now overcome by her own nervousness.

 **"Yes, I have."** he said, surprising her with his confidence.

 **"Oh. Well...I will be over there in just a few minutes, okay?"**

 **"Okay. Goodbye."**

He hung up the phone and Natalie took a deep breath. She ran to the bathroom, combing her fingers through her hair and taking a quick swish of mouthwash. She blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed. She had seen Adrian a million times. Why was she now so frantic to look just right before going back to his apartment? She shook her head and hurried back out of the bathroom, grabbing her cell phone and her purse, and leaving for Adrian's apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

Adrian paced his floor anxiously. Now that he had asked Natalie to come over, he was feeling nervous again. Things had changed and he knew it. Natalie had told him how she felt and, surely, now, she was going to want him to tell her how he felt. Just the thought of it made his heart pound in his ears. He hadn't confessed his feelings for someone in over twenty years. The knowledge that he was now possibly about to be in that position again made him very nervous. He heard his apartment door open and he jumped, spinning around to see Natalie standing there. She smiled softly at him, her reassurance calming him instantly. It always did. No matter how nervous he was, Natalie could smile at him in a way that immediately made him feel better.

 **"Hi,"** she said softly.

 **"Hello,"** he said, forcing himself to remain calm and return the smile.

Natalie came in, shutting the door, and putting her things down. She walked into the living room and sat down on the couch, sighing in an attempt to calm her nerves. Now that she was back here, she felt the tension once again. She forced herself to remain calm, telling herself that she needed to be strong for Adrian because, if she was this nervous, surely, he must be ten times as nervous.

 **"Do you want to talk?"** She asked softly, motioning for him to come sit beside her.

He nodded, nervously clasping his hands together, and sitting down on the edge of the couch.

 **"I - I...Well, I'm not sure how to begin."** Adrian stammered nervously, looking down at his hands.

He flinched in surprise as Natalie reached out and grabbed his hand.

 **"It's okay, Adrian,"** she said softly, **"Take your time."**

He looked up at her, surprised by her use of his first name. He had only heard her say it on rare occasion. The reassurance in her eyes gave him a sense of calm and confidence, and he continued to speak.

 **"Natalie, I... well, I was a little surprised by everything you said earlier. But I shouldn't have been. I mean, I'm a detective, for God's sake. I can't believe I never noticed."**

She smiled at him, squeezing his hand. He continued.

 **"Well, maybe I did notice, but I suppose I blocked it out. Natalie, I...I mean, it honestly scares me to death, but...I think I..."**

He stammered, overcome by his nerves, he just couldn't get the words out.

 **"It's okay,"** she said comfortingly, **"Don't feel like you have to say anything right now. If you-"**

He cut her off, gaining his confidence.

 **"No, Natalie. You are in love with me. We need to have this conversation."**

She blushed, glancing down at her hands. He continued.

 **"Natalie, I...I don't know exactly for sure how I feel but...I do know that we...kissed...and it felt like...like I finally had something that I had been missing for so long."**

His voice had reduced to nothing but a whisper, but Natalie heard him loud and clear. Her eyes snapped back up to his. She saw the honesty in his eyes, and also what looked like a glimmer of hope. She smiled, squeezing his hand again.

 **"That's exactly how I felt,"** she said sheepishly, smiling.

 **"So..."** He began. **"What do we do now?"**

Natalie sighed. It was a good question. She could think of one or two things she would like to do, but she knew better. Sure, she had been in love with him for years, but this was all new to him. And Adrian Monk wasn't a man you could rush things with. The fact that he had even admitted that he enjoyed kissing her was a milestone for him. She rubbed his arm reassuringly.

 **"We can do whatever you want. The ball is in your court. I mean, I have...loved you for a long time. Just the fact that you aren't running away from me right now is a relief."**

 **"Natalie, I don't want to run away from you,"** he said exasperatedly, shaking his head. **"I - I... I liked what happened earlier."** He said, causing her to blush again. **"But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't incredibly nervous right now."**

She smiled, endeared by his apprehension.

 **"I - I just...I would like for you to..."** Adrian hesitated. It was not easy for him to ask for something like this.

 **"What is it?"** Natalie asked softly, touching his arm.

 **"I would just like for you to...put your arm around me. You know, the way that you usually do. I - I just want to sit here with you for a while."**

She smiled, touched by his modest request.

 **"I can do that,"** she replied.

Scooting closer to him, Natalie leaned over and wrapped her arm around Adrian. Unsure of how he might react, she tentatively rested her head on his shoulder. But, to her surprise, she didn't feel him tense up. In fact, she felt him relax against her, sighing softly. Adrian closed his eyes, letting Natalie's touch comfort him as it always did. He inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar gentle scent of her hair, as her head rested softly against his shoulder. She rubbed her hand lightly against his back. The two of them sat in a comfortable silence, eventually both nodding off to sleep.

Natalie startled awake, blinking her eyes several times as she adjusted to the darkness that now flooded the apartment. Adrian was still asleep, breathing steadily, his chest rising and falling gently. She was surprised at how long they must've slept like that, the sun now having gone down. Natalie smiled, watching Adrian as he slept peacefully. She wasn't upset he hadn't just come right out and told her he was in love with her or anything like that. She wasn't expecting that. She knew it had taken a lot for him to tell her that he enjoyed their kiss. Just hearing him say that was enough to give her butterflies in her stomach. She found herself studying his lips now, yearning to feel them against hers again.

Natalie flinched slightly as Adrian's eyes fluttered open. As his eyes met hers, she blushed, becoming aware of how close their faces were, and the fact that she had just been imagining kissing him again. The two of them stared at each other in the dark for a few moments, neither of them saying a word, each of them breathing steadily. Natalie felt that same tension from earlier arise once again, and she swallowed hard. They were only inches apart, and he was looking into her eyes intently. She couldn't help but feel that familiar lump in her throat. She desperately wanted to kiss Adrian again, but she didn't want to move too fast for him. He maintained his gaze. She felt as though his eyes were searching hers for something, but she didn't know what.

 **"Natalie,"** He murmured, startling her. His voice was gruff from sleep. **"C - Can I..."**

His eyes were filled with a nervous longing, and her heart began to race.

 **"Please,"** she whispered, nodding.

Adrian leaned forward, agonizingly slowly, and closed the last bit of space between them. Their lips met and, once again, both of their bodies came alive with electricity. Natalie deepened the kiss and their tongues brushed together. The intimate contact filled both of them with a sense of urgency. Adrian wrapped his arms around her, and Natalie moaned softly. Consumed by the silence and darkness of the room, their kiss turned passionate. Adrian gasped, as Natalie hungrily began to trail kisses just beneath his ear and down his neck. Instinct began to awaken within him. As his hands roamed over her body, his fingers brushed against the soft exposed skin of her waistline. He gripped her hips and pressed her body against his. Natalie moaned, loudly this time, breaking the kiss and resting her head against his.

 **"Adrian,"** she began, her breath labored and raspy, **"We have to stop."**

He blinked several times, drawing backward so he could see her face.

 **"D - Did I do something wrong?"** He asked nervously, his face filled with concern.

 **"No, you did something right. _Very_ right."** She chuckled, causing Adrian to blush. **"And, if we don't stop, I..."** She paused.

Adrian shook his head, confused. **"You what?"**

She sighed. **"If we don't stop, I won't be able to control myself from...going further,"** she finished quietly, her face flushing bright red.

Adrian's eyes grew wide as he realized what she meant. She was feeling... _aroused?_ Because of _him_? He couldn't help but blush, feeling surprised, intimidated, and honored that Natalie felt that way.

 **"I - I'm sorry,"** he stammered, his arms gently releasing her as he sat up straight.

 **"Adrian,"** she said softly. He smiled, unable to hide the fact that he liked her calling him by his first name. **"Don't be sorry. It's not exactly a bad thing..."** She smiled, placing her hand on his cheek. **"I just want to respect you."**

He nodded, touched by her concern. Natalie sighed, sliding backwards on the couch a bit so she could sit up straight.

 **"Look,"** she continued, **"As you know, I love you."** She smiled, feeling liberated at the opportunity to speak that truth over and over again. **"So, I want nothing more than to...you know, _express_ that,"** she continued, causing Adrian to blush profusely. **"But I know this is happening very fast for you and just don't want to push things too far. I want to respect your boundaries."**

Adrian nodded, still unsure of the right way to respond.

 **"Are you okay with everything that just happened so far?"** Natalie asked gently.

 **"Yes,"** He responded, smiling softly.

Natalie smiled too, continuing on. **"Good. Well,"** she said, clearing her throat, **"where do we go from here? I mean, I...I just...I know that I love you and I just want to be with you."**

 **"You - you mean..."** Adrian began. **"Like, what? You want to go steady with me?"**

Natalie smiled, amused by his choice of words. **"Yes, Adrian, I'd like us to 'go steady,'"** she chuckled. **"Only if you want to, that is."**

Adrian smiled and reached out tentatively, carefully taking Natalie's hand.

 **"I'm not going to lie to you, Natalie, it does scare me. But...I - I think I would like that."** He replied softly.

 **"Good."** She smiled, leaning in and kissing him softly on the cheek. **"And, hey, it's okay to be scared,"** she said gently. **"I'm scared too. It's normal to feel that way."**

 **"So,"** she continued, **"What now? I mean, you do realize we are eventually going to have to tell other people about this, right? Especially Leland. He sees us almost every day. I mean, if we're together, he's going to notice something is different."**

Adrian eyes grew wide momentarily, then he nodded. **"You're right. But how do we tell him?"**

Natalie smiled. **"You know what? He's a detective. Maybe we should just let him figure it out."**

She leaned in, unable to stop herself from kissing him again. They deepened their kiss again, and Natalie felt the heat rising in her stomach. She pulled away.

 **"You're going to kill me,"** she murmured, catching her breath.

 **"I - I'm sorry,"** he said innocently, shrugging.

Natalie reached out, gently stroking his face with her fingers. Then, she stood from the couch, grabbing her things.

 **"Don't apologize. _Believe me._ I just...need...to leave."** she said quietly, blushing. **"I love you,"** she whispered in his ear, kissing him softly on the cheek.

She turned on her heel and walked to the door.

 **"See you tomorrow,"** Natalie chirped, closing the door behind her before he had a chance to respond.

Adrian leaned back into the couch, overwhelmed with everything that had just happened. Natalie had been so attracted to him that she felt she needed to leave or she wasn't going to be able to control herself. He blushed. Yes, it had been quite some time since he had been in a situation like this, but he was a man, and he couldn't help but feel delighted by the fact that a woman was attracted to him. And not just any woman. This was Natalie, the person he trusted more than anyone else. The way they had been kissing made him lightheaded. Like he was young again, but without all the anxiety about germs or sickness. With Natalie, it just felt...right. Adrian smiled. Maybe Trudy was right. Maybe he could finally love again.

 ** _[Thanks so much for reading my story, everyone! Please review so I know there are still some Monk readers out there! I may add more to this story in the future. Also, PLEEEEEASE join my new Facebook group called "Adrian/Natalie Monk Fan Group". It is a place for all of us Adrian/Natalie shippers to come together and share fanfics, share photos/videos, discuss episodes/scenes, etc. Please, please, PLEASE join so I can meet Adrian/Natalie shippers that are still out there! Thanks again! ~Ember]_**


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